 What stands out to you as being the most important area for focus in supporting a new

PLC at your site?

Standing out for my site would be that PLC focuses in improving the skills and knowledge of my
staff through collaborative study, expertise exchange, and professional dialogue. It also caters
for improving the educational aspirations, achievement, and attainment of students through
stronger leadership and teaching.

 Why do you think creating NORMS is an important step in establishing an effective

PLC?

Creating Norms is very important in establishing effective PLCs. PLCs norms represent
protocols and commitments developed by staff member team created to guide staff
in working together. Norms help team members clarify expectations regarding how they
will work together to achieve their shared goals.

 What do you see as the greatest barrier to having teachers work together to review
instructional practices, student work and/or educational research?

Some barriers to having teachers work together is that there is not enough time. Instructional
time by MOE is a 180 days. Teachers at my school are not granted permission for such activities
during school time. This kind of activity is done after classes. Also experienced would be lack
of understanding by school community/parents. When given the time off to conduct such
activities parent would consider the event as wasting time. Finally I have experience poor
leadership where expectations are not clear and there is no to little resources. .

 How could you prepare to address these barriers?

First as a staff/teacher in practice we would need to “deprivatize” practice. Many of my staff

members have gotten used to having the privacy and autonomy to teach the way they want, with
little input from others. This culture of teacher isolation has made it hard to see alternatives and
invite colleagues to offer help. Secondly we need to promote coherence and follow-through.
Traditional professional development is often too episodic and incoherent to impact teachers.
Most teachers have experienced one-shot presentations from experts they’ll never see again on a
topic they will never address again. Finally we would need to overcome insularity to ensure new
input. We as a staff need to continually meet with the group of colleagues which can create trust
and bond giving create — like trust and shared routines.

Parent and educational partners need to be educated in the culture of PLC.